Liner for beverage bottle cases



1955 B. s. ANGELETTE LINER FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLE CASES Filed Oct. 23. 1950 amazee i 5 WM W L W M y a I I IIV y M j 77 j w I Z M llll llklli 9 1 W w United States Patent LINER FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLE CASES Bena S. Angelette, New Orleans, La.

Application October 23, 1951), Serial No. 191,667

2 Claims. (Cl. 217-3) This invention relates to a liner for beverage bottle cases, and particularly to a liner and hand hole cover for cases of beer bottles.

Bottles of beverages are packed in various types of cartons and cases, some such cases being in the form of wooden cases, some in the form of corrugated board cartons, etc. Different types of such containers are provided in the ends thereof with hand holes to facilitate the picking up by hand of the cases. It is well known that light, and particularly bright sunlight, has a deleterious effect on beer, the beverage being aifected as to color, taste and odor to an extent depending upon the length of exposure to light and upon the strength of the light.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel case liner adapted for use particularly in the shipment and storage of bottles of beer wherein the exposure of the beverage to light through the usual hand holes is prevented, while at the same time permitting the fingers of both hands to be inserted through the hand holes for the purpose of lifting the cases or cartons.

A further object is to provide such a device which is highly simplified in construction and economical to manufacture and which is capable ordinarily of repeated use, thus reducing the cost of using the device over a period of time.

A further object is to provide a device of this type wherein the liner is provided with upwardly extending flaps normally covering the hand holes of the case or carton and possessing a reasonable degree of resiliency to be moved away from the end walls of the carton or case for the insertion of the fingers of the hands, the resiliency of the flaps moving them back against the end walls when the fingers are removed from the hand holes, thus again closing such holes to the entrance of light.

A further object is to provide such a device which is capable of easy application in the cases or cartons and which requires no mechanical appliance for inserting it, and which does not interfere with the automatic packaging of the bottled goods.

A further object is to provide such a case liner which acts to protect the bottom of the case from undue wear, for example as caused by pieces of broken glass, and which is absorbent both as to odors and moisture, thus lengthening the life of the case or carton, which is considerably more costly than the present device, this being true particularly in the use of wooden cases.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through a bottle container, shown in the present instance as a conventional beer case,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the liner forming the subject matter of the present invention, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank for the liner.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates a 2,714,979 Patented Aug. 9, 1955 conventional beer case as a whole comprising end walls 11, side walls 12 and a bottom 13 secured against the lower edges of the side and end walls. The end walls 11 are provided with conventional hand holes 14 through which the fingers of the two hands may be inserted to lift the case. The case is conventionally provided with conventional separators or partitions, shown in the present instance in the form of a frame 15 defining pockets in the usual manner for the insertion of the individual bottles 16. While the unit 10 has been shown as being in the form of a conventional beer case, it will become apparent that the present invention may be used with other types of containers, including corrugated board cartons having top flaps which fold over to exclude light from the top of the carton. In the use of open-topped cases such as that shown, it is preferred that a closure be employed to exclude light from the top of the case, for example as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l and designated by the numeral 17, It also will become apparent that the use of the present invention is not limited to any particular type of bottle separating unit 15.

The device forming the subject matter of the present invention is shown in blank in Figure 3 and comprises a sheet 20 of any suitable material, and preferably solid fiber board, having a central substantially rectangular area 21 divided by longitudinal scored lines 22 from relatively narrow longitudinal side sections 24 which may be of uniform width from end to end as clearly shown in Figure 3, The central section 21 is divided by transverse scored lines 25 from end sections 26, each of which includes a relatively large preferably rectangular flap 27 beyond the edges of which, transversely of the sheet, are extended narrow flaps or flanges 28 similar in width to the flanges 24. Each corner of the main portion of the sheet is notched as at 29 so that the side and end sections 24 and 27 may be bent vertically upwardly as in Figure 2 without causing any bunching of the material at the corners of the liner.

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Operation The liner is cut and scored in a single operation to form the blank shown in Figure 3. The area of the center or body section 21 will be predetermined in accordance With the horizontal inside area of the case or carton as will be apparent. The sheet is bent upwardly along the scored lines 22 and 25 to assume the shape shown in Figure 2. The completed liner then may be directly inserted in the top of the case or carton and the body section 21 will lie flat against the bottom of the container. The flanges 24 and 28 will be turned upwardly and the lower portions of the flaps 27 cooperate with the flanges 24 and 28 to form with the bottom or body section 21 a pan-like structure for a purpose to be described. The flanges 24 and 2S and flaps 27 frictionally engage the side and end walls of the container to hold the liner in position against displacement. The separator unit 15 is then inserted in position as shown in Figure 1, and in practice, it has been found that the present device is readily usable with any conventional type of separator, some of which have end portions as shown in Figure 1 and in others of which the bottle compartments around the edges of the separator are formed by partitions of the separator and by the end and side walls.

The flaps 27 extend along the end walls 11 and the material from which the liner is made possesses sufficient resiliency to hold the flaps 27 against the side walls 11 to exclude light tending to enter through the hand holes 14. Accordingly, the container, loaded with bottles of beer, may be left outdoors in the direct sunlight and the bottles will be sealed in complete darkness and fully protected from the deleterious effect of the light.

When it is desired to move a case by hand, the fingers of the hand may be inserted through the openings 14 and the flap 27 has its upper end readily flexed inwardly so that the tips of the fingers may be curled around and upwardly against the inner face of the wall 11 above each opening 14. In the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the flap 27 will bear against the adjacent end of the separating unit 15 which will tend to hold each flap in position, and will assist in returning the flap to the normal position shown in Figure 1, assisted by the inherent flexibility of the flaps, when the fingers are removed from the openings 14. In cases where the bottles lie in open-ended compartments adjacent the ends of the case or carton, for example where interlocked fiber board or pasteboard strips are used in the making of the separating unit, the flap 27 will bear against the ends of the adjacent separator strips and/ or against the adjacent bottles themselves, but the upper ends of the flaps are free to flex inwardly. The flaps 27 preferably terminate a short distance above the openings 14 and below the tops of the bottles, and accordingly movement of the flaps is not interfered with where a cover member 17 of the type referred to is employed. The invention is equally applicable to use with wooden beer cases, corrugated fiber board cartons having hand holes, or any other types of containers.

The invention saves its cost many times over. It is simple and capable of production at extremely low cost and is easily slipped into position in a container in a matter of a few seconds. It fits snugly in the container and is easily applied to both new and used cases. It protects the bottom of the case from undue wear, caused, for example, by pieces of broken glass in the bottom of the container. It absorbs odors and moisture inside the container, for example moisture caused from loss of liquid from broken bottles, and accordingly it maintains the containers cleaner and neater. The body section 21 absorbs considerable moisture, and when liquids accumulate to an extent greater than can be absorbed by the liner, the liquid is drained to the corners of the body section 21, thus protecting the main portion of the bottom of the container from contact with the liquid. The bottoms of wet soggy cases rot and break out relatively quickly and the entire case or container must be replaced. Much of this loss is saved by the use of the present invention which protects and reinforces the bottom of the case, acting in conjunction therewith to form in eifect a double bottom.

The present device costs a mere fraction of the cost of cases and other containers and is capable of re-use ordinarily an indefinite number of times. When it must be discarded, the cost of replacement is quite low.

The cutting away of the corners of the device as at 29 prevents any bunching of the material when the folds are made along the scored lines 22 and 25. Any liquid flowing downwardly on to the bottom section 21 to an extent in excess of what can be absorbed thereby will flow from the corners of the bottom section, and where the device is used with wooden cases, the liquid will naturally drain from the corners of the case, which are not liquidtight. The bottles and/or partitions form filler means within the case to back up the flaps 27 adjacent the lower ends thereof to assist in utilizing the inherent resilience of the flaps and maintain the latter against the end walls 11 when the fingers are inserted through the openings 14. In other words, the device utilizes a definite cooperation between the flaps 27 and the filler means to assist in the proper functioning of the flaps 27.

I claim:

1. In combination with a beverage bottle container having side and end walls the latter of which are provided with hand holes, and a bottom, a relatively stiff, resilient one-piece liner having a body section corresponding in shape and size to said bottom and lying thereon, integral end. flaps projecting upwardly from said body and lying flatly against said end walls over said hand holes to prevent light from passing therethrough, each of said flaps having a width substantially less than the inside width of the beverage bottle container whereby they may be swung inwardly away from said hand holes, and integral longitudinal side flanges projecting upwardly from said body and engaging said side walls of said container, the upper portions of said end flaps adjacent said hand holes being movable inwardly from the end walls when the container is filled to permit free access to the hand holes, and the lower portions of said flaps being held against the end walls of the container by the contents thereof to thereby urge the upper portions of the flaps against the end walls over said hand holes except when a pressure is applied thereto as by the fingers.

2. In combination with a beverage bottle container having side and end walls the latter of which are provided with hand holes, and a bottom, a flexible, relatively stiff one-piece liner having a body section corresponding in shape and size to said bottom and lying thereon, integral end flaps projecting upwardly from said body and lying flatly against said end walls over said hand holes to prevent light from passing therethrough, said flaps being narrower than the width of said body, flanges extending from the side edges of said flaps to the edges of said body, and longitudinal side flanges fonned integral with said body and extending upwardly therefrom for engagement with the sides of said container, said body section, at the corners thereof, being provided with notches extending into the area of said body section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,566 Scott June 23, 1931 1,980,281 Martin Nov. 13, 1934- 2,009,564 Ridge July 30, 1935 2,015,294 Stein Sept. 24, 1935 2,031,694 Croce Feb. 25, 1936 2,038,790 Hoblick Apr. 28, 1936 2,337,923 Pierce Dec. 28, 1943 2,597,848 Reeser May 27, 1952 

